Why Winnipeg is Canada’s festival city

Why Winnipeg is Canada’s festival city

Winnipeg is heating up as anticipation builds for another summer season of spectacular outdoor festivals.

Located in the province of Manitoba in central Canada, Winnipeggers truly know how to squeeze the fun out of every perfect summer day. Read on for five remarkable summer festivals, ideal for families, musos, foodies, and culture buffs.

1. Winnipeg Folk Festival5 – 8 July 2018

Australia’s own singer/song writer, Courtney Barnett is set to headline with Sheryl Crow at the hugely popular Winnipeg Folk Festival at the Birds Hill Provincial Park. Immerse yourself in Manitoba’s great outdoors and soak up the foot-tapping beats with everything from world music, indie-rock, electronic, country, and Celtic, with more than 75 artists rocking nine stages throughout the festival. Don’t forget the kids! The Chickadee Big Top and Family Arena serve up live children’s music, puppetry, face-painting and crafts.

2. Red River Exhibition15 – 24 June 2018

Join more than 220,000 visitors at Manitoba’s largest summer festival at the Red River Exhibition Park. You’ll be treated to nine days of non-stop family fun, delicious local cuisine, free nightly concerts, agricultural displays, and art exhibitions. Get up close and personal with some classic Manitoban wildlife, such as bison and llama, and make the most of the world’s largest travelling midway.

3. Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival18 – 29 July 2018

The second largest festival of its kind in North America, the WFTF takes place in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, with more than 170 theatre companies gathering from around the world to present innovative theatre to an excited audience. Old Market Square is at the heart of the event, abundant with music, roaming street performers, tasty treats and artisan vendors. Little Fringers have the chance to learn performance skills and showcase their talent at the Kids Venue.

4. Folklorama6 – 18 August 2018

Folklorama is the largest and longest-running multicultural event of its kind in the world. This not-to-be missed festival allows you to explore a stunning array of the world’s diverse cultures displayed community centres, high school gymnasiums and cultural centres across Winnipeg. The Folklorama extravaganza features world-class entertainment, ethnic foods and beautiful cultural displays.

5. Dauphin’s Countryfest28 June – 1 July 2018

Canada’s longest-running country music festival is circled in red on the global country music calendar, drawing thousands of music fans from around the world to this four-day program. In addition to world-class country music performers, Dauphin’s Countryfest features a range of fun activities, from beach volleyball to helicopter rides.

Getting there

Air Canada has daily direct flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Vancouver, with connecting services to Winnipeg. Alternatively, VIA Rail, the national Canadian rail service runs from Vancouver to Winnipeg. The two-day journey spans British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan before reaching the Manitoba, the heart of Canada.